A Sad, Sad Story, With A Happy Ending!

[gammada]

So I was searching over the classifieds on an online site looking for vintage Sheaffer pens, when up pops a listing for a Sheaffer Imperial II TD that was on sale for less than $10 USD. According to the publication the pen was functional, so I decided to meet the vendor and check over the pen.

 

The vendor arrived with a bunch of pen stuff for sale, including a Sheaffer Targa, a Sheaffer pen box, some Parker ballpoints, and pencils. So after looking over the Imperial and deciding on its purchase, I went over the Targa. A Matte Black early edition pen that had been on my wish list for quite sometime. He was selling it for around $4USD -too good to be real, right? But just before I was handed the pen, the guy confessed that it didn't have a nib. At this point, I thought the pen didn't have a section, since the nib is not exactly removable. Well, horror of horrors, turns out the guy did indeed tore off almost the entire nib to sell it as gold!

 

I don't know about you out there, but it really got me to see a pen in such a sad state of abuse. It was dirty, neglected, and seeing the section with just a tiny bit of nib remaining, made me quite sad. So even if the pen was just junk, I decided to take it home and give it a proper burial!

 

So I got home and decided to work on the pen. After many, many hours of rinsing, cleaning, polishing and repairing (the top black ring above the clip came out loose), I managed to get it up to its former glory. Another Targa momentarily donated its nib for the pen, and right now is inked and writing beautifully!

 

I still have to resac its converter, and find an orphan nib for it, but am glad I got it back home with me.

[silverlifter]

Ugh, that hurts! That is the exact model (1003, first gen with the black derby) that I bought in 1983 and still write with today!

[gammada]

Ugh, that hurts! That is the exact model (1003, first gen with the black derby) that I bought in 1983 and still write with today!

It did hurt. Even thou Targas have been largely ignored by most collectors, I love the way they look and the way they write. Glad this Targa will see many more writing days!

[Muncle]

I have one Targa, I found at a thrift store. I never thought I would like them, but it has grown on me a lot. It is a simple brushed steel, but I would definitely take on more.

 

Wonderful job on your repairs!

[corgicoupe]

I have the same pen with a stainless steel nib. I bought it new in Memphis in the early 1980s. I had considered paying more for a gold nib but received a letter from a Textron manager saying their testing revealed no significant difference between the steel and the gold nibs. That letter is posted somewhere on FPN.

[pajaro]

I bought a shiny steel one when these hit the market. The Leakmeister. I like the looks, though, so I kept it. Some of this collecting is sentimental, and this reminds me of a girl I knew long before I met my wife.

[JotterAddict62]

Glad you rescued the pen. I hate gold trolls that rip out nibs for the gold and the complete pen would be worth more than they got for the gold scrap.

[corgicoupe]

Maybe gold should sell for $35 per ounce?